Al Gore, the former Vice-President, 62, and his wife, Tipper, 61, have decided to separate after 40 years of marriage and four children together.

According to POLITICO, Al and Tipper Gore announced the split on Tuesday via a joint e-mail entitled “Email from Al and Tipper Gore” as follows:

“We are announcing today that after a great deal of thought and discussion, we have decided to separate. This is very much a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration. We ask for respect for our privacy and that of our family, and we do not intend to comment further.”

Al and Tipper, the Washington-born couple, met at a high school graduation dance and got married on May 19, 1970.

They now live in Tennessee and are parents of four children, Karenna, 37, Kristin, 33, Sarah, 31 and Albert III, 28.